Put your caps on backwards and shout “come on” because, Adelaide, your favourite homegrown tennis star is coming home for the World Tennis Challenge!
Whether you like tennis or not and whether you love him or love to hate him (Lleyton that is), the World Tennis Challenge is a cracking day out with your friends. Picture a mix of proper tennis skills, plus some hilarious antics from some of the sport’s greats. Put that together with amazing food and drinks and you have one unmissable event!
Memorial Drive will be a veritable tennis heaven as the former world number one and two-time singles Grand Slam champion hits the court along with some other huge names.
As he prepares for his 20th and final Australian Open he’s looking forward to the opportunity to return to where it all began:
“I’m really pleased to be able to head back to Adelaide for this event – obviously Memorial Drive is a special place for me and it’s fitting that the place it all started will be the last venue I play before my final Australian Open tournament and retire from the pro-circuit,” Lleyton Hewitt said today.
Adelaide was the scene of Hewitt’s breakthrough performance on the professional stage, when in 1989 he defeated Andre Agassi in the semis and Jason Stoltenberg in the final to capture his first ATP title at the tender age of 15.
WTC Tournament Director and former doubles champion Mark Woodforde is delighted to have Hewitt in the field and excited South Australian fans will have the chance to see their home-grown champion in action.
“We’re thrilled Lleyton will play the World Tennis Challenge. It will certainly give fans the chance to say farewell and thank you on home soil and at the venue in which he began his stellar career,” Woodforde said.
Hewitt will relish the opportunity to use the event to fine-tune his preparation for the Australian Open, in two tough WTC matches. On Tuesday 12 January he faces former world No.7 Fernando Verdasco (ESP), and on Wednesday 13 January the 2014 US Open champion and current world No.13 Marin Cilic (CRO).
Hewitt will also attend the WTC Legends luncheon at Adelaide Oval on Wednesday 13 January.
The inclusion of Hewitt takes the total number Grand Slam titles won by WTC players to 29. All nine are former ATP Top 10 or higher ranked players.
The World Tennis Challenge is a three day exhibition event and takes place 12-14 January at the Memorial Drive Tennis Centre. Tickets to the World Tennis Challenge start at just $10 and are on sale now here.